Card processing apparatus



Sept. 22, 1959 P. N. ARMSTRONG ErAL CARD PROCESSING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 8, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet l PMP Sept. 22, 1959 P. N. ARMSTRONG ETAL 2,905,465

CARD PROCESSING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 8, 1956 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 www@ Sept. 22, 1959 P. N. ARMSTRONG ErAL 2,905,455

CARD PROCESSING APPARATUS med oct. 8, 1956 3 sheets-sheet s AWM@ iai@

CARD rizocnssnvo APPARATUS Appiication October-8, 1956, Serial No. 614,604

$3 Cl'ahls- (Cl. 271-5) The present invention relates to apparatus. for. processing information. cards as they arey circulatedvon a vacuum pressure transporting .drum or on other suitable transporting. media. More particularly, the invention is concerned' with a control mechanism which sert/.65 to control the position .of selected ones of the information cards on the transporting medium. so .as to delay such cards by any desired and controllable amount.

Significant advances have. been made in. recent years in, systems for processing data. These systems in general are predicated on binary digital principles, and` in most systems. of this type the processed information is stored as bitsof'binary data on a. plurality of information cards. These bits .of data may be represented on each card by the presence or absencer of' holes or by magnetic dots of a first or second polarity,

In order. that. the information cards iandthe data stored on the cards may be made. readily available on. a fully automatic basis, apparatus. andA systems have. been devised for selecting, storinglin-g, coll,atingsorting` and for otherwise processing.` the cards themselves. All. of these operationsserve to accomplish a ptutiillary purpose., .11amely,. to selectv andbring a desired. card from a sto-red Position to. a processing position where it can be. examined either to read and utilize information that is already `on the card' or to record new information, on the card'.

One extremely useful and most eficient system has recently been devised' yfor transferringy ythe cards from a stored position to a processing. position. This system utilizes rotatable drums` in which vacuum pressure is produced at their respective peripheral edges, This vacuum pressure serves to` retain the cards firmly. on. the peripheries of thedrurns-,so thatthey may beY conveniently transported by the drums from .one POSitiOn to another. Appropriate Atransferring and gating-,meansserve totransfer the cards fromrcspective storage stacks to the. drums and fromone drum to another. In this way, the cards can be rearranged in different orders than their. original orders such as by sorting, merging.. and collatingoperations.

It is often desirable in rearranging the order of a plurality of cards that the position of oney or. more of the cards on the peripheral surface of a transporting drum be changed with respectto` other cards in the plurality. This is usually achieved in the prior art by gating the card or cards whose position is to be so occupied to an adjacent holding drum. This method, however, even though it does operate satisfactorily to achieve purpose, is somewhat slow. and requires relatively complicated control equipment. Such equipment is not necessarily slow and complicated relative to -othCr equipment but only in relation to the apparatus constituting-this invention.

The present invention provides; a simple mechanism by meansv of whichthe position of cards on a transporting drum can be-selectively and controllably altered with respect to the-position ofother'cards. The mechanism-ofthe inventionis relativelyf'simple in its con- Aatent Wiener and Loren R. Wilson.

formation .Card or cards selected from a' plurality of such cards` in a data processing system. The mechanism is also capable of controlling the transfer of the cards to one or more outputstacks after the variable delay has been obtained. In this way, the mechanism can be considered' as an inverter for rearranging. the positions of various cards in. aY nlura'lty- In the drawings:

Figure l lis a top plan View somewhat schematically illustrating the apparatus of the invention and' showing a rotatable transporting drum, an lauxiliary drum, and card stacking means and associated transfer mechanisms for controlling the position of selected Ones of the cards on the transporting drum. and also'illnstratingy certain mechanical and electrical controls in the transfer mechansms;

Figure 2* iswan enlarged section-al view substantially on the line' of Figure l and shows the details of a typical vacuum-pressure transporting drum` which may included in' the apparatus constituting -this invention;

'Figure 3 is. a sectional View substantially on the line 'Stof'ldigure l andillustratesin detail-a pneumatic lifter used in the invention; and

Figure 4" iskan enlargedfragmentary view of a portion of the apparatus shown in Figure l and particularly shows; the card stacking means and associated transfer mechanisms referred to above.

AIii the embodiment of the inventionk shown in" the drawings, a plurality of cards 10 (Figure l) are disposed in a stack 12.Y The bottom edge of each card in the stack' rests on a at surface such as the top 14 of a supporting table.. rihe cards in the stack 1'2` are supported hyfthe table in essentially a vertical" plane. The stack 12 is' mounted on the table top 14 with its mouth adjacent the' peripheral surface ofthe' druml. The relationship isVv suc'lithat cards may besuccessively drawn from the mouth of the stack l2 by the drum 16. The cards are then circulated on theperip'heral surface of the drum 16.

The cards ltl'are the information' cards-referred to previously. Thatis, each card is provided with a plurality of bits-of data represented, for example, by the presence or absence of holes or by magnetic dots of one polarity or another. These bits ofdata, either bythem! selves or in-combination with other bits, represent digital information. The digital information, forexample, may relate to numbers, letters, alphanumeric coding (combinations of numbers and letters) 0r to other pertinent data.

Af pair of drumslo andy 20. are mounted for rotation about spaced vertical axes. These drums are disposed above the-.top of the table 14 in essentially thesame plane. The drum 2t) of the illustratedembodimentfis adapted tobe rotated. in a particular direction such as in. a counterclocltwise direction.. The drum 16l isadapted to berotated inY the opposite or' clockwise direction. Actually, theldrums `16 and 20 may even be rotatingin thesame direction as described in co-pending application SerialNo. 6-l4g686'led October. 8,. l956by Jerome B. For example, both of theV drums may be rotating in. a counterclockwise direction.

Both ofthe-drums '16 and'lZtl' are 'constructedto exhibit avacuum pressure attheir'respective peripheral edges,

site ends of the shaft.

This vacuum pressure, as previously noted, serves to retain the cards tirmly on the peripheries of the drums. Since the drums may be similar in their construction, the details of only the drum 20 are shown in Figure 2 and described in full. It will also be appreciated that the drums can be constructed in a different manner than that described below. For example, drums similar to that described in co-pending application Serial No. 600,975

led July 30, 1956, by Loren R. Wilson can also be used.

The drum 20 includes a pair of spaced parallel external Vdisc-like plates 27 mounted in coaxial relation. A pair of internal disc-like plates 30 is disposed between the plates 27 and in coaxial relation with the plates 27.

The inner face of each of the plates 27 includes an annular peripheral lip 28. The vplates 30 are held by a plurality of groups of spacers 32 in mutually spaced parallel relation and in spaced relation with the plates 27. These spacers are held in place by a corresponding plurality of studs 34. These studs 34 extend throughv the i plates 27 and 30 at respective positions adjacent the peripheral edges of the plates. The studs also serve to maintain the drum in a rigid assembled condition. A

plug 36 extends into a threaded aperture at the centerI of the top plate 27.

The radius of each of the inner plates 30 is made slightly less than the radius of each of the outer plates 27. This difference 'in radius between the inner and 'outer plates is made substantially equal to the thickness of the cards 10 and it serves to form a peripheral channel 3S around the drum for the cards. The rim of each of the inner plates 30 has an increased thickness with respect to the remaining portions of these plates. These rims are indicated at 40 and they cooperate with the to mount the shaft in a housing 60, the bearings being retained within the housing by suitable bushings 58. The

Vbushings 58 are secured to the housing by a series of These bearings serve rotatably respective lips 28 of the outer plates 27 to produce a studs V62. The bearings may be sealed by appropriate oil seals 64.

An opening 66 is formed in the housing 60 at a position corresponding to an intermediate position of the shaft 54. This opening enables a drive belt 68 to extend is rigidly mounted on the hollow shaft 54 in coaxial relation with the shaft. A pair of cylindrical sleeves 72 are mounted coaxially with the shaft 54 on opposite sides of the pulley 70. These sleeves serve as axial spacers for into the housing and around a pulley 70. The pulley 70 the bearings 56. In this manner, the shaft 54 and the drum assembly can be rotated by a suitable motor (not shown). f

The bearings 56 and the pulley 70 are maintained in assembled condition on the shaft 54 by means of a nut 76 threaded to the lower end of the shaft. The nut 76 has an associated lock washer 74. A seating disc 78 lcooperates with abottom plate 80 of the housing 60 to form an air seal between the hollow rotatable shaft 54 and the housing 60. The plate 80 is secured to the housing 60 by a series of studs 82. The plate 80 has a Y.

central aperture therein which is axially aligned with the interior of the hollow shaft 54. A hollow conduit 84 is jmounted in friction it in the aperture of the plate 80.

This conduit 84 extends` to any suitable type of Vacuum pump as indicated by the block 86.

The vacuum pump drawn air in through the slots 42 i and through the passages 46 down the hollow shaft 54 lthe drum 16 in the same manner.

"86y (Figure 2). is created' at the mouth of the retainer 90. This vacuum force acts on the leading card in the stack 12 in a direc- -entrance of the output stack 101.

v which extend through slots in the member. This arrangement enables the member to be adjustably positioned toward or away from the periphery of the drum 16. The throat member 88 is fixed at a selected position such that it prevents more than one card at a time from passing between it and the periphery of the drum 16. Therefore, as the drum 16 rotates, the lvacuum pressure at its periphery selects the leading card from the stack 12 and draws that card from the stack and past the throat member 88. When the iirst card has passed the throat member 88, a second card is then drawn from the stack by The drum 16 operates, therefore, continuously to draw cards in succession from the stack 12.

' A retainer 90 may be associated with the input stack 12. The retainer 90 is disposed in contiguous relationship to the drum 16 and to the input stack 12. The

retainer 90 is provided with a mouth portion which engages the trailing portion of the leading card in the stack'12. A conduit 92 extends from the mouth portion of the retainer and communicates with the vacuum pump By this arrangement, a vacuum force tion opposing the vacuum force exerted on the card by the drum 16. The opposing force exerted by the retainer 90 is eifective in preventing the card from being withl'drawn from the stack 12 by the drum 16.

l When the vacuum force in the retainer 90 becomes interrupted, the force exerted on the yleading card in the stack 12 by the drum 16 becomes predominant and the card becomes withdrawn by the drum from the stack. By interrupting the vacuum force in the retainer 90 periodically or at a variable rate, an intermittent release of cards from the input stack 12 is obtained. The vacuum force in the retainer 90 may also be completely and continuously cut ol to obtain the release of a con- 'tinuous stream of cards from the input stack 12 on a sequential basis. The retainer 90 and its associated members may be constructed in a manner similar to that described in detail in co-pending application Serial No. 552,506 filed December 12, 1955, by Hans M. Stern.

An output stack 101 is also positioned adjacent the peripheral surface ofthe drum 16. This output stack is angularly displaced around the drum in a clockwise direction from the stack 12. The output stack has its entrance adjacent the edge of the drum. A stop member 103 is fastened to the table top 14 adjacent the trailing edge of this stack with respect to the direction of rotation vof the drum. The stop member is fastened to the table top as by screws 105. j

A plurality of pawls 107 are positioned adjacent the These pawls extend into the peripheral slots 42 in the drum 16 and have center portions which are bulged out from the drum, as illustrated. Each card circulated by the drum 16 to the member 103 is stopped by that member with its trailing edge projecting over the pawls 107. The next card then passes over the pawls and under the preceding card to Ystrip the preceding card from the drum and deposit the '.face of the drum 16. The stack 100 is angularly displaced n a clockwise direction around the drum 16 from the stack 12 and is disposed between the input stack 12 and the output stack 101 in the direction of rotation of the drum: 'TheV stack 100-1has.. an entranceendJ disposed adjacent the-peripheral'su-rface of `the* drum and extends between the drums-16 and i20.- The exit end'of the Ystack,v 100 is Ydisposed adjacent'theperipheral surface ofthe drum 2.0.

At theend ofthe stack 100 facing the drum 16, the stack has an arcuate throat member 102 which extends from the trailing edge ofthe-stack with respect to -the direction -of rotation of the dr-um 161.` This throatmember extends partiallyacross the-entrance'end of the stack adjacent the periphery of the drum 16. The throat member 102 is spaced a sufiicient distance-from the drum 16 to-enable a card to vpass between it and the periphery of that drum; The throat member 102 is preferably tapered at its forward end to -facilitate the transfer of cards from the-drum 16 to the stack 100a- The throat member 102 is arranged so that the cards Vin the peripheral channel of the drum 16 move withthe -drumpast the stack 100, and the cards are not transerred to the stack so long asno force is-bei-ngexerted against them. However, a tangential force may be controllably exerted against the cards lby a ow of air or other huid-throughl a lifter-104. When-such a' ow is initiated, theleading edge of the transported card against which-itlis directed is forced away from the periphery of the druml, and that particular card is seizedby the throat 102. When a card becomes so positioned-on the throat member 102, subsequent rotationl of the drum 16 causes thecard to be stripped from the peripheral channel of the drum and deposited-inthe stack- 100.

As illustrated in Figures land 4, the lifter 104 is positioned in essentially tangential -relation with the drum- 16, with its mouth adjacent the trailingedge of the stack 100 withrespectto the direction of 4rotation of the drum 16. The lifter is spaced from the periphery of the drum 16, however, a distance suicientto enable a card to pass between it and the drum.

The construction of Vtheliftei=-104and of its associa-ted members and controls is shown in further detail in- Figure 3. Although one embodiment of the lifter 104 is shown in Figure 3, it should be appreciated that other types of lifters may also be-used. The lifter has a plan shape whichl corresponds substantially to a tear drop, and it is symmetrical about its central axis. This central axis, as previously noted, is essentially tangential with the periphery of the drum 16 at a point which is displaced angularly from the entrance end of the stack 100 in the direction of rotation of the drum 16.

The lifter has a tapered configuration such thatfits narrow end or mouth is near the periphery of the drurn 16. The lifter has a hollow interior which has an essentially parabolic shape and which defines its mouth portion 106 (Figure 3). A plate 109 is formed over the mouth portion of the lifter, and is provided with a series ofv apertures 108 which extend through the plate and which are respectively aligned with the slots 42 in the peripheral channel of the drum.

A passageway 110 extends through the lifter, and this passageway communicates with the mouth port-ion 106. A feed line 112 is coupled to the other end of therpassageway 110 by any suitable coupling; The feed line 112 extends downwardly from the passageway 110 so that the 'lifter' can extend under a pair of guide rails-14S and 144, which will be described in detail subsequently. The otherend 113of tne feed line is adapted to receive air under pressure from any suitable sourcek (not shown). A suitable solenoid-actuated valve 114 of any known type is disposed in the air line 112 to control the ow of air through the line. This valve may be a usual solenoidoperated type and includes a solenoid` winding indicated by the block 11S. The valve is opened whenever the winding is energized as b-y a control source indicated by the block 117 in Figure 3.

When the winding ofthe solenoid v-alve 114 is so energizedA andthe valve is opened, airunder pressurel passesf to-the -lfterf- 10.4; This V.ain flowsthroughthe vpassageway andithrough-theA mouth 106, to emerge as streams of air underpressure from the apertures 108. The streamsof air passing through the apertures` 108 have aV relatively high velocity. because ofthe relatively small diameterzofrthe apertures. The streams, therefore, impinge onlthe peripheryl ofY the-drum 16 with a relatively higlrforce.` Thistimpingementof the streams is.in a tangential direction between the throat 102iand the periphery.ofthefdrum 16. The air-streams in eifectexert a shearing force between the periphery ofthe-drum 1'6 andthe particular card- 10 whichthey contact. This shearing force is eifective.in`lifting-.fthe leadingaedge of the cardv from the periphery of the drum against. the retaining vacuum pressure, inthe peripheral channel of the drum. The leadingf edge ofthe lifted card then is engaged by the throat 102'; and subsequentfrotationof the drum 16. causes thevcard to enter the entrance end of the stack 100.

Inthis manner, so long. as thesolenoid valve 11'4.is not energized, the cards on the periphery ofthe-drum 16 are circulatedfpast# the entrance end; of fthe-stack 100, under the throat 102 and'under the lifter 1014. The solenoid :valve 1-14amay be energizedlat controlled intervals to. select one or,rnorecarlsA from the periphery of the drum 16a and to deposit the selected cardsin the stack .100;1in'the described manner.

A plurality of'pawls'such as the, pawl116, are xedly mounted adjacentthe leadingedge of the stack 100'at the entranceI endiofithe, stack. These pawls function, like the pawls .107, to insure thatthe cards 10"withdrawn from-the periphery lof-thefdrurn 16rby the lifter-104 will be positioned in the.=proper order-in the stack 100. The pawls116'are displaced :angularly from the trailing edge of the stack. 100cagainst3the. direction of'rotation of the drum 16 by a distance less than thelength of'a card. The pawls extendat theirropposite'ends .into the slots 42 of the drum and-have arlrumpedrintermediate portion. These pawls liftfthe trailing edge ofeach card transferred to the stack 100 iso thatthe next `card-must` pass under the previous card positioned on thefpawl. In ythis way, the next card is instrumental inprying the previous card from the periphery of -the drumrsoV that'the previous card becomes deposited in the staclr'll00.- This assures that the order of the cards'in the. stack 100: will not-be altered with respect to the orderV of the cards in the input stack 12.

The construction and operation of the lifter 104 and its associated members arefully disclosed and described'in detail in co-pendiugv application, Serial No. 562,154, liled January 30, 1956, in the name of Stuart L. Peck and assigned tothe assignee of theipresen-tapplication. Constructional details of the pawls 116 are shown and described in co-pending application Serial No. 571,086, tiled March 12,-` 1956, in the name of Minoru T; Endo which is alsovassignedto the assigneev ofthe present application.

rAs previously noted, the exit end ofthe stack 100 is disposed adjacent the periphery ofthe drum 20. A card retainer 126 may be associatediwith thisexit end. This retainer and its associated mechanisms may be similar to those disclosed in copendingapplication, Serial No. 552,506, tiled December. l2, 1955, in the name of Hans M. Stern andv which is assigned to the present assignee; or a usual solenoid-actuated valve may be used, as shown.

An air line 128extendsto theretainer 126 and communicates with a passageway 130fin the retainer. The passageway 130' extends through the'retainer 126 to the face of the retainer. This face is contiguous with the leading card in the stack 100. The line 128' has its opposite end coupled to a solenoid valve 131. This valve is'connected'to a suitable vacuum pump (not shown) through an air line 132. The solenoid valve hasa Winding 133 associated with it, andthe-valveis opened whendrum 20.

-ever this winding is energized bythe flow of electric current through it. The winding 133 is controllably and .selectively energized by any suitable control system as indicated by the block 135. Although the solenoid valve 131 and its associated control system are shown somewhat schematically in Figure 1, suitable apparatus is yshown and described in detail in co-pending application .Serial No. 552,506, iled December 12, 1955, by Hans M. Stern.

The vacuum pump referred to in the preceding paragraph applies a constant vacuum pressure through the line 132 to the valve 131. So long as the valve is open, the vacuum pressure is transmitted through the line 128 to the passageway 130 in the retainer 126. This creates a vacuum pressure at the face of the retainer. This vacuum pressure holds the leading card in the stack 100 against the Vacuum pressure exerted on that card by the peripheral surface of the rotatable drum 20. The cards are, therefore, retained in the stack 100 by the retainer 126 so long as the vacuum pressure is maintained at the face of the retainer.

When the flow of electrical current through the winding 133 from the control system 135 is terminated, the valve 131 closes. This removes the vacuum pressure from the line 128, from the passageway 130 in the retainer 126 and from the face of the retainer. Therefore, the leading card in the stack 100 is withdrawn by the vacuum pressure at the periphery of the drum 26 and is circulated around that drum. So long as the vacuum pressure at the retainer 126 is interrupted, cards are continuously withdrawn from the exit end of the stack 100 by the vacuum pressure at the peripheral surface of the In this way, an intermittent or continuous transfer of cards can be obtained from the intermediate stack 100 to the drum 20 in accordance with the operation of the retainer 126.

Whenever 4a card is removed from the exit end of the stack 100, the vacuum pressure from the periphery of the drum 20 and from the retainer 126 (if the retainer is re-activated) draws the next card in the stack 100 up to the exit end of the stack. In this manner, cards may be fed through the entrance end into the stack 100 in the manner described for storage in the stack with the leading card being drawn to the exit end of the stack. Whenever the Vacuum pressure is removed from the retainer 126, the leading card is released to the drum 20. The next card is then drawn to the exit end of the stack 100. By this means, cards may be controllably transferred from the drum 16 to the drum 20, and any desired number of cards may be stored for any desired length of time during such transfer. Since different numbers of cards can be stored in the stack 100 at different instants of time, the stack can be considered as a variable delay line. 'I'he delay is dependent in part upon the number of cards in the stack 100 and in part upon the rate at which cards are released from the input stack 12 by the retainer 90.

A second lifter 140 is disposed in essentially tangential .relation with the periphery .of the drum 20. The lifter 140 is displaced angularly from the stack 100 in the direction of rotation of the drum 20. The construc- 4tional details of the lifter 140 may be similar to those of the lifter 194. The lifter 140 is controlled by a solenoid valve 142, this valve being positioned in an air line 143 connecting the lifter 140 to a suitable source of air pressure (not shown).

A pair of spaced parallel guide rails 144 and 145 are mounted on the table top 14 between the drums 16 and 20 and in the vicinity of the lifter 140. These guide rails may be similar to the guide rails disclosed in copending application Serial No. 614,686 mentioned above. These guide rails are generally arcuate in form and are in essentially tangential relationship with the drums. The inner guide rail 144 is somewhat longer than the outer nguide rail 145 (as shown) and both guide rails are` shorter in length than the length of each card. Also, the ends of the guide rails are displaced a sufficient distance from the drums to permit the free passage of cards carried by either drum past the rails. For example, cards positioned on the drum 20 maybe carried by the drum past the guide rails 144 and 145 when the lifter 140 is not activated.

The arrangement is such that when the valve 142 is energized, it opens and closes streams of air to be emitted `by the lifter against the peripheral surface of the drum 29. These air streams effectively shear the cards from the periphery of the drum 20. The leading edge of a card so sheared then enters the passageway between the rails 144 and 145. Continued rotation of the drum 2i) pushes the card further and further into this passageway. Since the guide rails are shorter than the length of the cards, the leading edge of the card comes under the influence of the vacuum pressure at the periphery of the drum 16 before the trailing edge becomes released from the Vacuum force exerted on the card by the drum 20,. The card is, therefore, drawn against the periphery 4of the drum 16 for fixed positioning on the drum periphery. Because of this, continued rotation of the drums 16 and 20 causes thekcard to be transferred to the periphery of the drum 16 without any slippage or lost motion of the card and without any possibility of losing the card.

An output stack 150 and associated stop member 152 and pawls 154 are mounted adjacent the drum 20. This latter output stack is displaced around the drum 20 from .the stack 100 in the direction of rotation of this drum. The constructional details of the output stack 150 and its associated components -may be similar to those of the output stack 101 and the components associated with the stack 101.

Therefore, cards may be fed in the described manner from the input stack 12 onto the peripheral surface of the drum 16. These cards are circulated by the drum 16 and may be deposited in the output stack 101 or transferred by suitable gates (not shown) to other drums (also not shown) to undergo various processing operations such as those of merging, sorting and collating. The cards may also be transferred from the drum 16 to the stack 100. Such a transfer may be desired at .particular times such as when the order of the cards is to be rearranged since it is desirable to selectively delay for a particular time interval one or more of the cards with respect to the other cards. a delay is required, a suitable control system responding to a particular one or more of the cards may cause the solenoid valve 114 to be energized. This causes the selected cards to enter the stack 100 in the manner described.

Control of the retainer 126 can cause the cards to be held in the stack for any variable interval to provide a corresponding delay. `The interval can also be made variable by controlling the number of cards held in the stack 100 at any instant. The delay can also be made variable by controlling the time at which the cards become released by the retainer 90 from the input stack 12 to the drum 16. After a selectively controlled interval dependent upon the operations of the retainers 90 and 126 and upon the number of cards in the stack 100, cards in the stack may become transferred from the stack to the drum 20 by interrupting the vacuum force produced by the retainer 126.

The cards transferred to the drum 20 may move with the drum to the output stack 150 for depositing in the stack. As an alternative, the solenoid valve 142 may be energized so that the streams of air from the lifter V14@ will return the cards (via the guide rails 144 and 145) to the periphery of the drum 16. The returned cards now reach the drum 16 at a time which is delayed with respect to the time at which the cards would have Yoriginally travelled along the drum. The delay isde- Whenever such 9 pendent in parti upon thel number offcards inthe stack I-and theltimes` at Which-thevariousf cards in the stack Were transferred'from'- the input'n stackV 1-2:l to the; drumy 16'.

By using the stackl 1001 toprovide a variable delay, the cards collected in the stack 101 may be rearranged with respect to their dispositionin theinput stack 12. Certain cards` originally inthe stack 12 eanalso be removed by the intermediate stack 100= and the drum soas to become deposited in= theoutputstack 150. In this Way, a plurality ofv different controls can be exerted rby the apparatus constitutingftnis invention on the cards transferred from the inputy stack 12. These controls operatev to rearrange the'cardson a flexible basis with respect to the-original order of thf'cards'. The in- Vention provides, therefore, relatively simple apparatus for controlling the positionr and eventual disposition of a plurality of cardst Although this application-has been disclosed and'illustrated with reference to particular applications, theprinciples involved are susceptible of numerous other applications Which'will be apparent to-personsskilled-inthe art. The invention is, therefore, to, be' limited only as indicated by thescope of' the appended" claims.

What is claimedis:

1. In combination for processing` a plurality of information cards each having a plurality of bits of' signal infomation, a rotatable drum for transportingthe cards on its periphery, housing means disposed adjacent the transporting drum for housing a number of such information cards and having an entrance and' a separate exit, rst' transfer means for transferring cardsv from the peripheral' surface of the drum through said entrance into said housing. means, and second transfer means for transferring cards from the exit of said housing means back to the peripheral surface, of said drum.

2. In combination for processing, a plurality of information cards each having a plurality of bits of signal information, a rotatable drum for transportingv the cards on its periphery, card stacking means disposed adjacent the transporting drum for housing a selected number of such information cards in stacked condition, first controllable transfer means for selectivelyV transferring cards from the peripheral surface. of the drum to saidstacking means, an auxiliary transporting means, second'controllable transfer means for selectively transferring cards from said stacking means to said auxiliary transporting means, and third transfer means for transferring back to the peripheral surface of the drum the` cards introduced to said auxiliary transporting means. by said second controllable transfer means;

3. In combination for processing a plurality of'information. cards each having a plurality ofbits'of signal information, a rotatable drum for transporting the cards on its periphery, card stacking means disposed adjacent the transporting drum for housing a selectednumber of such information cards in stacked condition, first controllable transfer means for selectively transferring cards from the peripheral surface of the drum to the. stacking means, an auxiliary vacuum pressure rotatable transporting drum, second controllable transfer means for selectively transferringV cards from said stackingA means to said auxiliary transporting drum, and'third transfer means for transferring back to the peripheral surface of the first-mentioned transporting drum ythe cards introduced to said auxiliary transporting drum by said second controllable transfer means.

4. In combination for processing a plurality ofinformation cards each having a plurality of bits of'signal information, a rotatable transporting drum constructed to receive a vacuum forceV at its periphery to retain the cards in fixed position on its periphery during the drum rotation, card stacking means disposed adjacent the transporting drum for housinga selected number of such information cards in stacked condition, said stacking means having an entrance at one end andan exit at the other end, means for selectively subjectingcards -onthepepheral-silrfae'f the drum to a controllable stream offa fluid under pressure" to transfer selected ones of Ithe cards; through said entrance into said stackingmeans; an auxiliary rotatable transporting drum disposedL adjacents aid exit gend'` Ofsaid stacking means and constructed to receive a vacuum force at its periphery,k means for exerting agcontrollable vacuum pressure on the-leading face ofthe card inv said stackingV means adjacentsaid' exit" selectively to control the transfer of cards from said stacking means to the peripheral surface of said auxiliary transporting` drum, and means for selectively subjecting cards on the'peri'pheral surface of said auxiliary drum to* a stream of a fluid under pressure to'transfer'cards on the peripheral surface of said' auxiliary drum back to the peripheral'surface'of the first mentioned transporting; drum.

5. In combination for processing a plurality of information cards each having a plurality of bits of. signal information, a rotatable drum for transporting the cards on its peripheral surface, means coupled to the drum to receive cards from the drum andV toretain variablenu'mber of cards, meansforcontrolling the number ofcards transferred from the drum to theretainingmeans at.5 any instant, and means for providing for a Itransfer of.` the cards in the retaining meansback to the drum at par.- ticular instants toco-operate withV the retaining means in providing a delay line variable in accordance with the number of cards inthe retaining means.

6. In combination for processing a plurality of' cards each having a plurality of bits of signal information, a rotatable drum for transporting the cards on itsv peripheral surface,` static means coupled at a first end to the drum lto receive cards from the drum and to retain a variable number ofA cards, means disposedv in co-operative relationship with the retaining-v means at a second end of the retaining means for normally. preventing the transfer of cards out of the retainingmeans and fo-r obtaining a transfer of cards out of Ithe retaining means at particular, times to provide in the retaining means a time delay variable in accordancewith the number of cards in the retaining means, andmeans for returning to the drum particular cards moving out of the retaining means. j

7. In combination for processing a plurality of information cards each having, a plurality of bits of signal information, a first rotatable drum for ho-lding cardsA in fixed position on its periphery during the drum rotation, a second rotatable drum for holdingrcards in fixed positioning on its periphery during the drum. rotation,y a stack disposed between the drums for receiving a plurality of cards from the first drum and for applying the cards to the second drum in the same order as theii movement into the yfirst drum, means for transferring to the stack particular cards movingwith the first drum, means associated with the stack and the second`drum for normally restraining. the transfer of cards from the stack to the second drum and for providing, for a transfer of cardsat particular times, and means coupling the second said first drums for providing for `a transfer of particular cards `on the second drum back to the first drum.

8. In combination for processing a plurality of information cards each having a plurality of bitsof signal information, a rotatable drum for holding the cards in fixed position on the peripheryof the drum during the drum rotatiom a stack disposed inv contiguousrelationship to the drum to hold. cards transferred from the drum, means including a first coupling mechanism for obtaining a transfer of selected cards from the drum into the stack and. for obtaining the movement of the other cards with the drum past the stack, and means including a second coupling mechanism for obtaining a transfer of selected cards in the stack back to the drum for movement with the drum.

9. In combination for processing a plurality of information cardsJ eachhaving4 a plurality of bits of signal infomation, a'rstrotatable ,drum4 for holding cards in xed position on the periphery of the drum during the drum rotation, a stack disposed at a first end in contiguous relationship to the first drum to receive cards from the drum, means including a first coupling mechanism associated with the stack and the rst drum for providing for a movement of particular cards with the drum past the stack and for providing for a transfer of other cards to the stack, a second rotatable drum disposed in contiguous relationship to the stack at the secondkend of the stack to obtain the transfer of cards in the stack to the second drum and to hold the cards in Afixed position on the periphery Yof the drum during the drum rotation, means associated with the stack and the second drum for providing a controlled transfer of ,cards from the stack to the second drum only at particular times, and means including a second coupling mechanism associated with the stack and the second drum and operative upon the cards transferred from the stack to the second drum to provide for a movement of particular cards with the second drum and for providing for a transfer of other cards from the second drum to the first drum.

l0. In combination for processing a plurality of information cards each having a plurality ofbits of signal information, a first rotatable drum for carrying the cards on its periphery, a second rotatable drum for carrying the cards on its periphery, means including an input stack disposed in contiguous relationship to the first drum to hold a plurality of cards and to transfer the cards sequentially to the drum, means including a coupling stack disposed between the first and second drums for receiving different numbers of cards from the rst stack and for transferring the cards to the second drum after a time delay ldependent upon the number of cards in the coupling stack, means including coupling apparatus associated with the first drum and the coupling stack for controlling the transfer of the cards from the drum to the stack, means including restraining apparatus associated with the second drum and the coupling stack for controlling the transfer of the cards from the stack to the drum, means including a first output stack for receiving the cards travelling on the first drum past the coupling stack, and means including a second Output stack for receiving the cards transferred to the second drum from the coupling stack.

l1. In combination for processing a plurality of information cards each having a plurality of bits of signal information, a first rotatable drum for carrying the cards on its periphery, a second rotatable drum for carrying the cards on its periphery, means including an input stack disposed in contiguous relationship to the first drum to hold la plurality of cards and to transfer the cards sequentially to the drum, means including a coupling stack disposed between the first and second drums for receiving different numbers of cards from the first stack and for transferring the cards to the second drum after a time delay dependent upon the number of cards in the coupling stack and in the same order as their reception in the coupling stack, means including first coupling apparatus associated with the first `drum and thecoupling stack for providing for a movement of particular cards with the first drum past the coupling stack and for providing for a transfer of other cards from the drum to the stack, means including restraining apparatus associated with the second drum and the coupling stack for providing for a retention of the cards in the stack at particular times and for providing for a transfer of the cards from the stack to the drum at other times, means` including second coupling apparatus associated with the first and second drums for providing for a movement of particular cards with the second drum past the coupling apparatus and for providing for a transfer of other cards on the second drum to the first drum, means including a first output stack for receiving the cards travelling on the first drum past the 'first coupling apparatus and the cards transferred from the second drum to the first drum, and means including a second output stack for receiving the cards travelling on the second drum past the second coupling apparatus. p

l2. In combination for processing a plurality of information oards each having a plurality of bits of signal information, a first rotatable drum constructed to receive a vacuum force on its periphery to hold the cards in fixed position on the periphery as the drum rotates, a second rotatable drum constructed to receive a vacuum force on its periphery to hold the cards in fixed position on the periphery as the drum rotates, means for applying a vacuum force to the peripheries of the first and second drums, static retaining means disposed between the first and second drums for receiving different numbers of cards from the first drum and for retaining the cards with the first card in the retaining means disposed against the second drum for removal of the card from the stack by the second drum, means including coupling means associated with the first drum and the retaining means for normally providing for the movement of the cards with the first drum past the retaining means and for applying fluid against the cards at particular times to produce a force for transferring the cards from the first drum to the retaining means, and means including restraining means associated with the second drum and the retaining means for normally providing a vacuum pressure against the first card in the retaining means to prevent the cards from being transferred to the second drum and for interrupting the vacuum force at particular times to obtain a transfer of cards in the retaining means to the secon drum.

13. The combination set forth in claim l2 in which second coupling means are associated with the first and second drums for normally providing for the movement of the cards with the second drum past the coupling means and for applying fluid against the cards on the second drum at particular times to produce a force for transferring the cards from the second drum to the rst drum, in which first output means are associated with the first drum for receiving the cards moving with the rst drum past the first coupling means and the cards transferred from the second drum to the first drum, and in which second output means are associated with the second drum for receiving the cards moving with the second drum past the second coupling means.

14. The combination set forth in claim l0 in which means including restraining apparatus is disposed in contiguous relationship to the input stack to control the rate at which the cards in the stack are transferred to the drum for a control over Ythe time at which the cards are transferred from the first drum to the second drum through the coupling stack.

15. In combination for processing a plurality of information cards each having a plurality of bits of signal information, transport means for the cards, static means positioned at a first end for coupling to the transport means to obtain a transfer of a variable number of cards from the transport means and to retain these cards and positioned to provide for a movement of other cards by the transport means past the position of transfer to the retaining means, means disposed in co-operative relationship with the retaining means at the first end of the retaining means for providing a controlled transfer of cards from the transport means to the retaining means, means disposed in co-operative relationship to the l retaining means -at a second end of the retaining means for normally preventing the transfer of cards out of the retaining means and for obtaining a transfer of cards out of the retaining means at particular times to provide inthe retaining means a time delay variable in accordance with theV number of cards in the retaining means, and means for returning to the transport means particular cards moving out of the retaining means-`V i 16. In combination for processing a plurality of information cards each having a plurality of bits of signal information, means for providing a movement of the cards, means disposed at one end in coupled relationship to the card-moving means for receiving cards from the card-moving means and for retaining a variable number of cards, means disposed at a second end of the retaining means for Controlling the number of cards transferred from the card-moving means to the retaining means at any instant, and means including a guide member for providing for a transfer of cards in the retmining means back to the transport means at particular instants to cooperate with the retaining means and the control means in providing a delay line variable in accordance with the number of cards in the retaining means.

17. In combination for processing a plurality of information cards each having a plurality of bits of signal information, first means for providing a transport of cards, card stacking means disposed adjacent the transport means for housing a selected number of such information cards in stacked condition, first controllable transfer means for selectively transferring rst cards from the transport means to the stacking means and for providing for a movement of second cards by the transport means past the position of transfer to the stacking means, auxiliary means for providing a transport of cards, second controllable transfer means for selectively obtaining a transfer of cards from said stacking means to said auX- iliary transport means, and third transfer means for obtaining a transfer back to the first transport means of the cards introduced to the auxiliary transport means by said second controllable transport means,

18. In combination for processing a plurality of information cards each having a plurality of bits of signal information, means for providing a movement of the cards, means for holding a plurality of such information cards and having an entrance disposed adjacent the cardmoving means and having a separate eXit displaced from the card-moving means, first transfer means disposed in coupled relationship to the card moving means near the entrance to the holding means for obtaining a transfer of cards from the card-moving means `to the holding means through the entrance in the holding means, and means including second transfer means disposed in coupled relationship to the cards in the holding means at the exit to the holding means for obtaining a transfer of cards through the exit in the holding means back to the card-moving means.

19. In combination for processing a plurality of information cards each having a plurality of bits of signal information, first transport means for providing a movement of the cards, second transport means for providing a movement of the cards, a stack disposed between the transport means for receiving a plurality of cards from the first transport means and for applying the cards to the second transport means in the same order as their movement into the stack, means for coupling the stack and the first transport means for obtaining a transfer to the stack of first cards moved by the transport means and for providing a movement of second cards by the transport means past the position of transfer to the stack, restraining means associated with the stack and the second transport means for normally preventing the transfer of cards from the stack to the second transport means and for providing for such a transfer of cards at particular times, and means coupling the first and second transport means for providing for a transfer of first particular cards from the second transport means to the first transport means and for providing for a movement of second particular cards by the second transport means past the position of transfer to the first transport means.

20. In combination for processing a plurality of information cards each having a plurality of bits of signal information, transport means for the cards, a stack disposed in contiguous relationship to the transport means to hold cards transferred from the transport means, means including a first coupling mechanism for obtaining a transfer of first selected cards from the transport means into the stack and for obtaining a movement of the other cards by the transport means past the stack, and means including a second coupling mechanism for obtaining a transfer of the cards from the stack and for obtaining a -transfer of selected ones of the cards back to the transport means for movement by the transport means and including means coupled to the stack for receiving the other cards transferred from the stack.

21. In the combination for processing a plurality of information cards each having a plurality of bits of signal information, first transport means for the cards, second transport means for the cards and disposed in spaced relationship to the first transport means, static retaining means disposed between the first and second transport means and having a rst opening constituting an entrance for receiving cards from the first transport means and having a second opening displaced from the first opening and constituting an exit for passing the cards to the second transport means after a Ivariable time delay dependent upon the number of cards in the retaining means, means coupled to the first transport means near the first opening in the static retaining means for obtaining a controlled transfer of cards from the first transport means to the static retaining means, and means operative upon the cards in the card holding means at the second opening in the card holding means for obtaining a controlled transfer of cards from the static retaining means to the second transport means.

22. The combination set forth in claim 21 in which the transport means are movable and in which the static retaining means constitutes a stack constructed to hold the cards in stacked relationship and to receive the cards from the first transport means through the first opening and to pass the cards to the second transport means through the second opening.

23. In combination for processing a plurality of information cards each having a plurality of bits of signal information, first means for obtaining a movement of the cards, second means for obtaining a movement of the cards and disposed in spaced relationship to the first card-moving means, a static delay line disposed between the first and second card-moving means and constructed to hold cards in stacked relationship and provided with a first opening near the first card-moving means to receive the cards from the first card-moving means and provided with a second opening near the second cardmoving means to pass cards through the opening to the second card-moving means, transfer means disposed in coupled relationship to the first card-moving means at a position near the first opening in the static delay line to obtain a transfer to the static delay line of the cards moved by the first card-moving means, means operative upon the cards in the static delay line at the second opening in the delay line for obtaining a controlled transfer of cards to the second card-moving means, receiving means disposed in coupled relationship to the second card-moving means for receiving cards transferred to the second card-moving means, and second transfer means disposed at one end in coupled relationship to the second card-moving means at a position before the receiving means in the direction of movement of the cards and disposed at the other end in coupled relationship to the first card-moving means for obtaining a transfer to the first card-moving means of particular ones of the cards transferred to the second card moving means.

Welsh Nov. 9, 1954 Nelson June 26, 1956 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE Patent N o. 2,905,465

September 22', MEW* Philip N Armstrong `et al.,

COlumn l0s liner 2l, before "variab'leY insert wm "said first drums" a m; line 599 for read f .and first drums Signed and sealed this; 35rd day of May 1960V (SEAL) Attest:

KARL H q XLINE RQBERT C. WATSCN Attesting` Officer Commissioner of Patents 

